Computing Device Enclosure Enclosing a Display and Force Sensors

ABSTRACT

Embodiments described herein generally take the form of an electronic device including a primary and secondary display; at least the secondary display is force-sensitive and further has its force-sensing circuitry in-plane with the display. The secondary display and force-sensing circuitry may be encapsulated between two glass layers that are bonded to one another by a frit. In some embodiments the force-sensing circuitry is formed from, or constitutes part of, the frit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.17/475,113, filed Sep. 14, 2021, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/422,727, filed May 24, 2019, now Abandoned, thecontents of which are incorporated herein by reference as if fullydisclosed herein.

FIELD

Embodiments described herein generally relate to electronic deviceshaving a display with a force sensor about, and coplanar with, thedisplay.

BACKGROUND

Electronic devices typically include a display to provide visualinformation to a user. In many cases these displays are touch-sensitive.Touch sensing, while useful, is limited. Touch-sensitive displays candetect where a user touches, but not an amount of force exerted on thetouch-sensitive surface.

Further, electronic devices have become increasingly thinner and lighterover time, thereby enhancing portability. This drive towards compactdevices reduces the amount of space available for components ofelectronic devices, especially with respect to components layered orpositioned atop one another (e.g., along a thickness or “Z-axis” of adevice).

SUMMARY

Embodiments described herein generally relate to electronic devices, andparticularly electronic devices having a display with a force sensorpositioned at least partially around, and coplanar with, the display.

One embodiment described herein takes the form of a computing device,comprising: an enclosure; a display positioned at least partially withinthe enclosure and comprising: a display layer; a top encapsulant abovethe display layer; a bottom encapsulant below the display layer; and asidewall connecting the top encapsulant to the bottom encapsulant andextending about the display layer; force-sensing circuitry positioned atleast partially about the display layer; and a circuit extending fromthe force-sensing circuitry through a portion of the sidewall; wherein:the force-sensing circuitry is positioned either within the sidewall orbetween the display and the sidewall.

Another embodiment takes the form of a portable computing device,comprising: an enclosure; a display at least partially within theenclosure; a force sensor coplanar with a portion of the display andwithin the enclosure; an encapsulant surrounding the force sensor andwithin the enclosure; wherein: the force sensor is configured to measurea change in capacitance in response to an input force exerted on thedisplay; and the force sensor is configured to measure the change incapacitance with respect to the enclosure.

Still another embodiment takes the form of a computing device,comprising: a touch-sensitive display comprising a display layer andconfigured to accept an input; force-sensing circuitry configured todetect a force of the input; a processing unit operably connected to theforce-sensing circuitry and configured to estimate an amount of theforce based on an output of the force-sensing circuitry; an encapsulantforming a portion of the display and encapsulating the force-sensingcircuitry; an enclosure enclosing the force-sensing circuitry,processing unit, and at least a portion of the touch-sensitive display;wherein: the force-sensing circuitry surrounds at least a portion of thedisplay; and the force-sensing circuitry is coplanar with the displaylayer.

In addition to the aspects and embodiments described above, furtheraspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to thedrawings and by study of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will be readily understood by the following detaileddescription in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein likereference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a sample electronic device;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of a display and a lower housing of the sampleelectronic device, taken along line 2-2;

FIG. 3 shows a top cross-sectional view of the display of FIG. 2 ,illustrating force-sensing circuitry surrounding part of the display;

FIG. 4A shows a schematic view of one sample configuration of exampleforce-sensing circuitry; and

FIG. 4B shows a second schematic view of a second sample configurationof example force-sensing circuitry.

The use of cross-hatching or shading in the accompanying figures isgenerally provided to clarify the boundaries between adjacent elementsand also to facilitate legibility of the figures. Accordingly, neitherthe presence nor the absence of cross-hatching or shading conveys orindicates any preference or requirement for particular materials,material properties, element proportions, element dimensions,commonalities of similarly illustrated elements, or any othercharacteristic, attribute, or property for any element illustrated inthe accompanying figures.

Additionally, it should be understood that the proportions anddimensions (either relative or absolute) of the various features andelements (and collections and groupings thereof) and the boundaries,separations, and positional relationships presented therebetween, areprovided in the accompanying figures merely to facilitate anunderstanding of the various embodiments described herein and,accordingly, may not necessarily be presented or illustrated to scale,and are not intended to indicate any preference or requirement for anillustrated embodiment to the exclusion of embodiments described withreference thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to representative embodimentsillustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood thatthe following description is not intended to limit the embodiments toone preferred embodiment. To the contrary, it is intended to coveralternatives, modifications, and equivalents as can be included withinthe spirit and scope of the described embodiments as defined by theappended claims.

Embodiments described herein generally take the form of an electronicdevice including a primary and a secondary display; at least thesecondary display is both touch- and force-sensitive and further has itsforce-sensing circuitry in-plane with the display. The secondary displayand force-sensing circuitry may be encapsulated between two glass layersthat are bonded to one another by a frit. The frit may at leastpartially encircle the display and force-sensing circuitry, or may fullyencircle it. In embodiments where the secondary display and theforce-sensing circuitry are fully encircled by the frit, one or moreelectrical lines, circuits, or the like may extend through the frit (or,in some embodiments, through one of the glass layers) to provideelectrical communication and/or power between the display and/orforce-sensing circuitry and other components of the electronic device.In some embodiments the force-sensing circuitry is formed from, orconstitutes part of, the frit.

Certain embodiments may have a primary input mechanism, such as akeyboard, trackpad, or the like, positioned next to or near thesecondary display. The secondary display may function as an additionalor ancillary input mechanism and may, in some embodiments, extend afunctionality of the primary input mechanism. The secondary display mayfurther change one or more elements, icons, graphics, or the like shownon the display as a context of the user's interaction changes in orderto provide content-sensitive inputs to the user. For example, as theuser changes focus to, or otherwise selects or initiates, a program,application, or the like, the secondary display may change one or moreuser-selectable graphics, buttons, icons, soft keys, and so on to onesthat are specific to the program, application, or other context.

In some embodiments, the electronic device is a laptop computer with asecondary display positioned near or next to a keyboard. The laptopcomputer may have an upper and lower portion connected to one anotherwith a hinge; the keyboard and secondary display may be positioned inthe lower portion. The primary display may be located in another part ofthe laptop computer, such as in the top portion. The lower portion mayinclude a top case through which the keyboard and/or secondary displayis accessed for user input and a bottom case connected to the top casesuch that the combination of the two form the (or a majority of, or apart of) exterior of the lower portion.

The secondary display may include circuitry for measuring an amountand/or location of a force exerted on its surface, thereby permittingforce to be used as an input through the secondary display.Force-sensing circuitry may extend along one or more edges of thesecondary display, or along portions of one or more edges of thesecondary display. The force-sensing circuitry may sense force throughchanges in capacitance, resistance, optical properties, thermalproperties, or the like resulting from a user (or object) exerting forceon the display.

The display and force-sensing circuitry may be fully or partiallyencapsulated between a top glass layer and a bottom glass layer, wherethe top glass layer is positioned nearer the top case than the bottomglass layer. Likewise, the bottom glass layer is positioned nearer thebottom case than the top glass layer. A frit may bond the top glasslayer to the bottom glass layer and fully or partially encircle theforce-sensing circuitry and the secondary display. Power and/or signallines may extend through the frit, the top glass, or the bottom glassand connect the display and/or the force-sensing circuitry to a powersource, processing unit, or other elements of the electronic device.

The force-sensing circuitry may be coplanar with at least a portion ofthe display. For example, the force-sensing circuitry may be formed,deposited, or otherwise positioned on a common substrate with part ofthe display, such as the substrate on which the pixel circuitry isformed, deposited, or otherwise positioned.

In some embodiments using capacitive elements to measure force, theforce-sensing circuitry may be mutually capacitive, while in others itmay be self-capacitive. Self-capacitive force-sensing circuitry maymeasure a capacitance (or changes thereto) relative to a ground, such asthe bottom case or top case, in order to determine a magnitude of aninput force on the display.

The term “attached,” as used herein, refers to two elements, structures,objects, parts, or the like that are physically affixed to one another.The term “coupled,” as used herein, refers to two elements, structures,objects, parts, or the like that are physically attached to one another,operate with one another, communicate with one another, are inelectrical connection with one another, or otherwise interact with oneanother. Accordingly, while two elements attached to one another arecoupled to one another, the reverse is not required.

Turning now to FIG. 1 , the electronic device 100 may be a laptopcomputer having a top portion 120 joined to a bottom portion 110 by ahinge 160. The laptop computer may include a primary display 150, whichmay be an OLED, LCD, LED, CCFL, LTPS, or other suitable display and maybe positioned at least partially within the top portion 120. The primarydisplay 150 may be touch- and/or force-sensitive in certain embodiments.

Continuing the example, a secondary display 130 of the laptop computer100 may be any suitable display type as listed above, and may be thesame type of display as the primary display 150 or may be different.Generally, although not necessarily, the secondary display 130 istouch-sensitive and force-sensitive; in some embodiments the secondarydisplay may be force-sensitive but not touch-sensitive (or vice versa).The secondary display 130 may be positioned fully or partially withinthe bottom portion 110 and may provide a first input to the electronicdevice 100, such as a touch or force.

Additionally, an input mechanism, such as the keyboard 140, may be usedto provide a second input, such as a key selection, to the laptopcomputer 100. The first and second inputs may be of the same type (e.g.,force, touch, or the like) or may be of different types. The laptopcomputer 100 (or other electronic device) may have additional inputmechanisms, as well. Sample additional input mechanisms include buttons,switches, keys, trackpads, mice, styluses, and so on.

As discussed above, the secondary display 130 may be force-sensitive. Across-section the display and related force-sensing circuitry are shownin FIG. 2 ; this cross-section is taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 . Thesample embodiment of the secondary display 130, as shown, includes acover 200, a polarizer 220, an optically clear adhesive 210 attachingthe cover 200 to the polarizer 220, a top encapsulant 230, an optionalshield layer 240, force-sensing circuitry 250, a display layer 260,which may implement any of the display technologies mentioned herein orany other suitable technology, a bottom encapsulant 265 (which, in someembodiments, may be a substrate on which the display layer 260 isformed, or that is otherwise a support or substrate of the displaylayer, or may be a separate element from the display layer), a compliantlayer 270, and an enclosure 280 attached to the bottom encapsulant 265by the adhesive 210.

Generally the cover 200 is formed from glass, plastic, carborundum, oranother suitable transparent material. A top or upper surface of thecover 200 (e.g., the surface at the top of FIG. 2 ) may be flush with anenclosure of the electronic device, such as the top case of the laptopcomputer shown in FIG. 1 , or may protrude therefrom. The cover 200typically flexes or otherwise deforms when an input force is exerted onit, although the amount the cover 200 flexes maybe visually and/ortactilely imperceptible to a user. By flexing, the cover 200 maytransmit some or all of the input force through the display 130, therebypermitting the force-sensing circuitry 250 to operate as describedbelow.

The optically clear adhesive 210 attaches the cover 200 to the rest ofthe display 130. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 , the optically clearadhesive 210 attaches the cover 200 to the polarizer 220. Typically, theoptically clear adhesive is transparent or near-transparent so that itdoes not inhibit, block, or otherwise degrade the quality of the displaylayer 260. Thus, in many embodiments the optically clear adhesive 210 isimperceptible (or near-imperceptible) to a viewer.

The polarizer 220 is optional and may be omitted in some embodiments.The polarizer typically enhances visibility of the display layer, forexample by preventing internal and/or external reflections fromdegrading visibility of the display layer 260. The polarizer 220 mayincrease the display layer's contrast, as one example.

The top encapsulant 230 is positioned between, and attached to, thepolarizer 220 and the display layer 260. The top encapsulant 230 may beattached to a sidewall (not shown) that attaches the top encapsulant 230to a bottom encapsulant 265 such that the combination of top encapsulant230, sidewall, and bottom encapsulant 265 fully, substantially orpartially surrounds the display layer 260. The top encapsulant 230 isformed from glass in many embodiments, but may be made from crystal,plastic or another polymer, or other suitable materials in otherembodiments. Generally, the top encapsulant 230 is fully or nearlytransparent so that it does not obscure the display layer 260.

As mentioned, the top encapsulant 230, sidewall, and bottom encapsulant265 may cooperate to surround the display layer 260. Further, in someembodiments the display layer, or a portion thereof, may abut any or allof the top encapsulant, sidewall, and bottom encapsulant. In someembodiments there is no intervening layer or gap between the bottom ofthe top encapsulant 230 and the top of the display layer 260, or atleast no designed intervening layer or gap. For example, although theshield layer 240 and force-sensing circuitry 250 (as discussed below)are shown as positioned between the top encapsulant 230 and the displaylayer 260, in many embodiments one or both of these are co-planar withthe display layer. As used herein, a first layer or element is“co-planar” with a second layer or element if a surface of the firstlayer or element is planar with a surface of the second layer orelement. Typically, such surfaces are either the top surface, bottomsurface, or both top and bottom surfaces of the first and secondlayers/elements. Parallel surfaces of two elements or layers are notco-planar unless the surfaces lie in the same plane as one another; thefact that a plane intersects and passes through two such surfaces doesnot render the corresponding layers co-planar.

By contrast, a first layer or element is “co-located” with a secondlayer or element if the first element's or layer's upper and lowersurfaces do not extend above or below the upper and lower surfaces ofthe second element, respectively. Put another way, the firstlayer/element is co-located with the second layer or element if: 1) thesecond layer/element is at least as thick as the first layer/element;and 2) top and bottom surfaces of the second layer/element are co-planaror extend further than top and bottom surfaces of the firstlayer/element. Thus, it is possible for one layer to be co-located witha second layer while the reverse is not true. As one example, this canhappen where a second layer is thicker than a first layer; the firstlayer would then be co-located with the second layer, while the secondlayer is not co-located with the first layer. As another example, in anembodiment where the second layer's top surface extends beyond the topsurface of the first layer, but the bottom surfaces of the first andsecond layers are co-planar, then the first and second layers areco-planar, the first layer is co-located with the second layer, and thesecond layer is not co-located with the first layer.

It should be appreciated that references to “top,” “bottom,” “upper,”and “lower” are intended to be with reference to a device in a restand/or operating position. Thus, where the device is a laptop computer,a “top surface” is a surface nearest a top case and a bottom surface isone nearest a bottom case, as one example. Where the electronic deviceis a tablet, phone, watch, or the like, a “top surface” may be thesurface nearest a display or a cover of the device while a “bottomsurface” may be one nearest a part of the device's enclosure on anopposite side of the device from the display and/or cover.

Still with respect to FIG. 2 and bearing in mind the above, it should beappreciated that the shield layer 240 and force-sensing circuitry 250are shown as non-co-planar with the display layer 260 for ease ofillustration, although in many embodiments one or both such layers areco-planar with the display layer. For example, a bottom surface of thedisplay layer 260 may be on the same plane as a bottom surface of theforce-sensing circuitry 250, while a top surface of the display layer260 may be on the same plane as a top surface of the shield layer 240.Thus, in some embodiments, the display layer 260 is co-planar with boththe shield layer 240 and the force-sensing circuitry 250. In otherembodiments, the display layer may not be co-planar with either or bothof the shield layer and force-sensing circuitry.

Typically, neither the shield layer 240 nor the force-sensing circuitry250 extends over the portions of the display layer 260 that are visiblethrough the cover 200, so that they do not block the display layer frombeing visible outside the electronic device 100. The shield layer 240may be positioned above or below the force-sensing circuitry 250, inorder to shield the circuitry from parasitic capacitances (or otherundesired electrical phenomena) that may interfere with the operation ofthe force-sensing circuitry. For example, in embodiments that includetouch-sensing circuitry (e.g., a touch sensor), the shield layer 240 maybe positioned between the touch-sensing circuitry and the force-sensingcircuitry 250. Likewise, in some embodiments the shield layer 240 may bepositioned between the display layer 260 and the force-sensing circuitry250, or between a battery and the force-sensing circuitry.

The display layer 260 may be an LTPS (e.g., low-temperature polysilicon)layer configured to emit light from light-emitting elements, such aspixels to form images, graphics, words, icons, and so forth. In otherembodiments, the display layer 260 may be implemented with a differentdisplay technology, as described herein. The display layer 260 may beflexible such that it bends, deforms, or otherwise moves (at leastlocally) when an input force is exerted on the cover 200.

In some embodiments a touch sensor (not shown) may be positioned betweenthe cover 200 and the display layer 260 and configured to detect alocation of a touch and/or input force on the cover. (Typically,although not necessarily, the touch exerts the input force on the cover200.) The touch sensor may be a capacitive sensor, a resistive sensor,an optical sensor, or the like.

The display layer 260 may rest on, be formed on, or otherwise besupported by a bottom encapsulant 265. In some embodiments the bottomencapsulant 265 may be a substrate of the display layer 260, such as aflex, metal, glass, or plastic material. The light-emitting elements ofthe display layer 260 may be formed on the bottom encapsulant 265. Inother embodiments, the bottom encapsulant may be positioned below thesubstrate of the display layer 260. The bottom encapsulant 265 mayfunction as a mirror to reflect light emitted from the display layer inorder to increase brightness of the display 130, although this is notnecessary nor is it the case in all embodiments. Some embodiments mayemploy a separate mirror between the bottom encapsulant 265 and displaylayer 260, one positioned below the bottom encapsulant, or may omit amirror entirely.

As mentioned above, the top encapsulant 230 is generally attached to thebottom encapsulant 265 by a sidewall. This is discussed in more detailbelow with respect to FIG. 3 . Generally, however, the encapsulatingstructure formed by the top encapsulant 230, sidewall, and bottomencapsulant 265 flexes, bends, or otherwise deforms in response to aninput force exerted on the cover.

A compliant layer 270 may be positioned between the bottom encapsulant265 and the bottom portion 110; in the example shown in FIG. 2 , thebottom portion 110 is the bottom case of the bottom portion of thelaptop computing device 100 shown in FIG. 1 . In some embodiments aninternal metal (or other electrically conductive) support or structuremay be substituted for the bottom portion 110. As one example, amidplate of a smart phone, tablet, or other electronic device may bepositioned below the compliant layer 270. An adhesive, such as a Mylaradhesive or other heat-sensitive or pressure-sensitive adhesive, mayattach the compliant layer to the bottom portion 110.

The compliant layer 270 may be formed from polysilicon, rubber, a gel, apolymer, and so on. In some embodiments holes, voids, gaps, or the likemay be present in the compliant layer 270 to permit the layer tocompress or otherwise deform.

Generally, the compliant layer 270 deforms, compresses, or otherwisepermits the force-sensing circuitry 250 to move toward the bottomportion 110 (or other support or structure) in response to an inputforce exerted on the cover 200. In certain embodiments, the input forcedeflects the cover 200, optically clear adhesive 210, polarizer 220, theencapsulating structure formed by the top encapsulant 230, bottomencapsulant 265 and sidewall, the display layer 260 positioned withinthe encapsulating structure, and the force-sensing circuitry 250positioned within the encapsulating structure, thereby compressing orotherwise deforming the compliant layer 270. Typically, the bottomportion 110 does not deflect or bend in response to the input force, ordeflects or bends less than the compliant layer 270 and other layers orelements.

Accordingly, when an input force is exerted on the cover 200, theforce-sensing circuitry 250 moves closer to the bottom portion 110 (orcloser to a midplate or other structural element used in place of theenclosure). The force-sensing circuitry 250 is configured to measure anelectrical property with respect to the bottom portion 110; thiselectrical property changes as the distance between the force-sensingcircuitry 250 and the bottom portion changes.

As one example, a value of a capacitance 280 between the force-sensingcircuitry 250 and bottom portion 110 may be defined by a distancebetween the force-sensing circuitry and enclosure. As this distancedecreases, the capacitance 280 increases. Likewise, as this distanceincreases, the capacitance 280 decreases. The force-sensing circuitry250 may measure a value (such as a magnitude) of the capacitance 280.Thus, as the force-sensing circuitry 250 moves toward the bottom portion110 in response to an input force, the circuitry may detect acorresponding change in capacitance 280. This change in capacitance maybe used by a processing unit of the electronic device 100 to estimatethe input force.

Generally, at least the cover 200, the top encapsulant 230, bottomencapsulant 265, display layer 260, and force-sensing circuitry 250deform locally in response to the input force. Put another way, portionsof these layers or elements that are closer to a point at which theinput force is exerted deflect or otherwise move more than portions ofthese layers or elements that are further away from the point. Thus, andas discussed in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 4A and 4B, theforce-sensing circuitry 250 (or an associated processing unit) may beable to determine an approximate location at which an input force isexerted as well as the amount of the input force.

FIG. 3 generally shows a top view of the force-sensing circuitry 250 a,250 b and display layer 260 as positioned on the bottom encapsulant 265.In the orientation shown in FIG. 3 , the top of the laptop computingdevice 100 shown in FIG. 1 is toward the viewer, the read of the laptopcomputing device 100 (e.g., the hinged section of the laptop) is towardthe top of the figure, and the front of the laptop computing device(e.g., the edge of the bottom portion that is opposite the hinge) istoward the bottom of the figure. Generally, the cross-section shown inFIG. 3 is substantially parallel to the top case of the bottom portion110 shown in FIG. 1 .

The sidewall 300 is illustrated in FIG. 3 . This sidewall 300 attachesthe top encapsulant 230 (shown in FIG. 2 ) to the bottom encapsulant 265and cooperates with both top and bottom encapsulants to form theencapsulating structure discussed above. The encapsulating structuretypically encloses or encircles the display layer 260 and theforce-sensing circuitry 250 a, 250 b. In the embodiment of FIG. 3 , thesidewall 300 extends along an entire outer edge or perimeter of thebottom encapsulant 265 such that it forms a barrier between an externalenvironment and the force-sensing circuitry 250 a, 250 b and displaylayer 260.

In some embodiments the force-sensing circuitry 250 a, 250 b may bepositioned within the sidewall rather than inside a cavity defined bythe encapsulating structure. That is, the sidewall may extend over theforce-sensing circuitry. This may seal the force-sensing circuitrywithin the sidewall 300. The force-sensing circuitry 250 a, 250 b may becontained within the sidewall 300 (or within a combination of thesidewall 300 and bottom encapsulant 265) in embodiments where theforce-sensing circuitry is formed from a frit metal that facilitatesbonding the sidewall to the bottom encapsulant, as one example. Asanother, the force-sensing circuitry may be positioned on the bottomencapsulant, or another substrate, and the sidewall formed over thecircuitry.

FIG. 3 also illustrates an input/output contact 310 of the force-sensingcircuitry 250 a, 250 b, which may be an electrical circuit. Theinput/output contact 310 may provide a drive signal to the force-sensingcircuitry 250 a, 250 b and/or accept an output signal from theforce-sensing circuitry (which may be or correspond to a measured changein an electrical property, such as capacitance, resistance, current,voltage, and so on). The input/output contact 310 may be connected tothe force-sensing circuitry 250 a, 250 b by one or more electricaltraces 320 or other electrical circuits. As with the force-sensingcircuitry, the input/output contact 310 may be within the sidewall 300or within the encapsulating structure. In some embodiments theinput/output contact 310 extends through the encapsulating structure andpermits electrical communication with other parts of the electronicdevice 100, such as a processing unit. In some embodiments theinput/output contact 310 may be or include a processing unit.

As with the force-sensing circuitry 250 a, 250 b, the input/outputcontact 310 and/or the traces 320 may be formed from a frit metal or aportion of a frit metal. Generally, the frit metal is used duringconstruction of the encapsulating structure to bond the sidewall to thetop encapsulant or bottom encapsulant; in some cases the frit metal maybond the top encapsulant to the bottom encapsulant. The frit metal maybe heated by a laser (or other heat source) and distribute that heat tothe sidewall or one of the encapsulating layers, thereby promotingmelting of the sidewall and/or encapsulating layer to encourage bondingand formation of the encapsulating structure. The frit metal may bedeposited to form the force-sensing circuitry 250 a, 250 b, traces 320,or input/output contact 310 prior to heating and formation of theencapsulating structure, and may operate accordingly after theencapsulating structure is formed and the electronic device 100assembled.

In some embodiments, a glass powder, glass frit, or the like may be usedto form the sidewall, optionally in combination with the frit metaldescribed above. The glass may be melted to bond to the top and bottomencapsulants. Heating the frit metal, if present may facilitate meltingthe glass to form the sidewall and/or attach the top encapsulant to thebottom encapsulant.

In some embodiments, the frit metal may form the input/output contact310 and may pass through the sidewall 300, the top encapsulant and/orthe bottom encapsulant. Further, the frit metal may be segmented to formmultiple elements, including multiple instances of force-sensingcircuitry 250 a, 250 b, multiple traces 320, and/or multipleinput/output contacts 310. Likewise, in some embodiments any or all ofthe foregoing may be formed from material other than the frit metal. Instill further embodiments any of the foregoing elements may be routedthrough the sidewall 300, the top encapsulant 230, or the bottomencapsulant 265. Further, in many embodiments the drive and/or sensetraces 320 may be routed co-planarly with routing for the display layer260 and may share a substrate with such routing, thereby reducing oreliminating any need for a separate routing layer.

The force-sensing circuitry 250 a, 250 b may be separately capacitivelycoupled to the bottom portion 110 (as shown in FIG. 2 ), such that eachinstance of the force-sensing circuitry 250 a, 250 b has its owncapacitance with respect to the bottom portion 110, moves separatelyfrom one another under an input force, and thus experiences its ownchange in capacitance in response to an input force. In certainembodiments the force-sensing circuitry 250 a, 250 b may be mutuallycapacitive rather than self-capacitive with respect to the bottomportion 110.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate sample layouts of force-sensing circuitry 250a, 250 b, 250 c, 250 d on an encapsulant layer 230. For simplicity ofillustration, the display layer 260 and input/output contact 310 areomitted from both FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B. It should be appreciated that theexamples of FIGS. 4A and 4B are not exhaustive but instead areillustrative.

As shown in FIG. 4A, four instances of force-sensing circuitry 250 a,250 b, 250 c, 250 d may be positioned such that each is near a differentedge of an encapsulant layer 230 and surrounds a display layer 260. Aninput force exerted on a cover would cause localized deformationresulting in a unique change in capacitance for each of the instance offorce-sensing circuitry, insofar as the change in capacitance for eachinstance of the force-sensing circuitry varies with the distance of eachcircuitry from the point of greatest deformation of the encapsulantlayer 230 (or other substrate on which the circuitry is positioned).Thus, a processing unit connected to the force sensing circuits 250 a,250 b, 250 c, 250 d may use their measured changes in capacitance todetermine an approximate location of the cover on which the input forceis exerted.

FIG. 4B shows an embodiment having two force-sensing circuits 250 a, 250c. Accordingly, while this embodiment may be able to determine which ofthe force-sensing circuits is nearer the location of the input force, itmay not determine the input force's location with the same accuracy asthe embodiment of FIG. 4A, or may be able to determine the input force'slocation along one axis of a plane intersecting the force sensingcircuits 250 a, 250 c rather than both an X and Y coordinate within thatplane.

The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, uses specificnomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the describedembodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art thatthe specific details are not required in order to practice the describedembodiments. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of the specificembodiments described herein are presented for purposes of illustrationand description. They are not targeted to be exhaustive or to limit theembodiments to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to oneof ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and variations arepossible in view of the above teachings.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computing device, comprising: an enclosuredefining an exterior of the computing device; a display positioned atleast partially within the enclosure; a sidewall extending about atleast one side of the display; a first force-sensing circuitrypositioned either within a first portion of the sidewall or between thedisplay and the first portion of the sidewall; and a secondforce-sensing circuitry positioned either within a second portion of thesidewall or between the display and the second portion of the sidewall,wherein: the first force-sensing circuitry having a first drive signaland the second force-sensing circuitry having a second drive signaldifferent from the first drive signal; and each of the firstforce-sensing circuitry and the second force-sensing circuitry isconfigured to measure a change in capacitance with respect to theenclosure.